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Rebuilding Tomorrow
What if the apocalypse isn’t the end of the world? An anthology of apocalypse fiction featuring disabled and chronically ill protagonists, proving it's not always the "fittest" who survive, it's the most tenacious, stubborn, enduring and innovative characters who have the best chance of adapting when everything is lost. In this follow-up to Defying Doomsday, disabled and chronically ill protagonists build new worlds from the remains of the old...new perspectives on life after the apocalypse.
390 pages, ebook
First published November 10, 2020
About the author
Tsana Dolichva
4 books66 followersResearcher by day, writer by night, Tsana is an astrophysicist specialising in the deaths of stars like our sun.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
December 9, 2020
But obviously I'm biased, since I'm the editor.
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April 8, 2022A bit biased since I have a story in this anthology, but my rating is based on the other stories in this collection, which are gorgeous, affecting, and complex. Envisioning the resilience and development of disabled communities after disaster is a powerful act of hope and resistance, since we’re so often excluded from those narratives. This collection does an excellent job of presenting multifaceted, deeply engaging possibilities for the future, and I’m thrilled to see the disabled SFF canon continue to expand and thrive with this great anthology.
January 16, 2021
It is rare to read a short story collection where all the stories resonate with you.
It was great seeing more of some of the characters from Defying Doomsday as well as meeting new ones.
It was gratifying to see disabled people find their place in the rebuilding process, taking part in creating a new world.
It was great seeing more of some of the characters from Defying Doomsday as well as meeting new ones.
It was gratifying to see disabled people find their place in the rebuilding process, taking part in creating a new world.
Want to read
July 31, 2020Yes, I am on a kickstarter kick, but yes I backed this kickstarter and probably you should too.
September 17, 2021
Excellent collection! It's rare to read a collection with this many stories that are enjoyable. The theme is broad enough not to become tiring and narrow enough to be meaningful #hopepunk
March 23, 2023
So viel wunderbare cozy Repräsentation!
May 2, 2023
Rebuilding Tomorrow est une anthologie de nouvelles de science-fiction, à la limite du solarpunk pour certaines, dirigée par Tsana Dolichva et publiée en 2020 chez Twelfth Planet Press. Elle fait suite à Defying Doomsday, un autre recueil que je n’ai pas encore lu, faute d’en avoir connu l’existence avant de lire l’introduction de celui-ci, et qui était centré sur des textes racontant l’apocalypse et comment les personnes handicapées ou souffrant de maladies chroniques n’étaient pas forcément condamnées à être les premiers victimes de l’apocalypse, bien au contraire. Cette fois, il s’agit de raconter non pas l’apocalypse mais le jour d’après, ou les années qui suivent, mais toujours du point de vue de personnes porteuses de handicap ou de maladies chroniques.
What if the apocalypse isn’t the end of the world? An anthology of apocalypse fiction featuring disabled and chronically ill protagonists, proving it's not always the "fittest" who survive, it's the most tenacious, stubborn, enduring and innovative characters who have the best chance of adapting when everything is lost. In this follow-up to Defying Doomsday, disabled and chronically ill protagonists build new worlds from the remains of the old...new perspectives on life after the apocalypse.
L’anthologie regroupe quinze nouvelles dont je vous propose un bref aperçu :
1. I Will Lead My People de Janet Edwards : vingt ans après l'invasion extra-terrestre qui a causé la mort de la quasi-totalité de l'humanité, une poche de survivants regroupés dans un ensemble de villages en Angleterre et menés par une femme handicapée, comme plusieurs de ses camarades, reçoit la visite d'un autre petit groupe de survivants, dirigés par un homme à la sinistre réputation
2. All the World in Seaform Green de Laurent Ring : installée dans sa maison en bord de plage, une peintre solitaire et autiste qui a perdu ses amis lors d'une épidémie de vérole il y a quelques années reçoit la visite d'une marine ayant elle-même perdu sa femme dans les mêmes circonstances
3. Merry Shitmas de Kristy Evangelista : six mois après une épidémie qui a décimé la population (décidément un thème récurent dans cette anthologie), une femme atteinte de la maladie de Crohn est préoccupée par la santé mentale des survivants après avoir découvert le corps d'un homme qui s'est pendu
4. Textbooks in the Attic de S. B. Divya : dans une ville de l'Iowa régulièrement inondée par des tempêtes et la montée des eaux, une mère et un père cherchent désespérément, chacun à leur façon, à se procurer des antibiotiques pour soigner leur fils qui s'est coupé profondément la main, avant que l'infection ne devienne fatale
5. If This Was the Talon de TJ Berry : après une invasion extraterrestre qui a tué ou mutilé la plupart des humains, un orphelin contribue à la reconstruction en fabriquant des jambes de fois et des rampes pour fauteuils roulants, tout en s'isolant pour se remémorer la mort de ses parents
6. Kids These Days de Tansy Rayner Roberts : il y vingt-cinq ans, des adolescents ont été abandonnés dans une colonie spatiale, littéralement et volontairement débranchée par les scientifiques qui en avaient la charge ; contre toute attente, ils ont survécu, ils ont grandi, ils ont reconstruit une ville et une société ; désormais, leurs enfants veulent prendre en main le destin de la colonie et souhaitent renouer le contact avec la civilisation qui avait volontairement abandonné leurs parents à l'époque
7. Omarino de Andi C. Buchanan : un couple de femmes, l'une autiste et l'autre sourde, entreprennent avec leur fils adoptif un voyage vers Wellington, avant de rentrer dans la communauté qu'elles ont formé pour les personnes cherchant une vie de silence, plusieurs années après une épidémie dévastatrice
8. Rhizome, by Starlight de Fran Wilde : alors que l'humanité a embarqué dans des vaisseaux spatiaux, une famille est restée pour veiller, génération après génération, sur les dernières graines végétales, en vue du jour où l'humanité reviendra sur sa planète natale
9. The Science of Pacific Apocalypse de Octavia Cade : un an après l'épidémie apocalyptique, une adolescente aveugle a fondé une revue pour publier les travaux des scientifiques survivants, sauvés par leur éloignement de la civilisation, dans des stations de recherche de l'Antarctique ou sur des îles isolées ; dix ans après, ils préparent un numéro rétrospectif
10. The Rest Is de Stephanie Gunn : des années après une pandémie qui a blablabla vous connaissez la chanson désormais, une jeune femme vit avec sa grand-mère et sa mère malade, toutes trois isolées du village le plus proche, mais la curiosité de l'une pourrait être plus forte que la peur d'une autre
11. A Floating World of Iron Spines de Ryan Press : après une grande inondation et une invasion extra-terrestre, une mécanicienne handicapée et son compagnon mi-alien mi-cyborg qui voyagent de communautés en communautés, découvrent un bébé mis à l'abri par ses parents avant qu'ils ne doivent prendre la fuite
12. Return of the Butterflies de Emilia Crowe : une mère prend soin de son fils de sept ans handicapé, dans un monde dévasté mais où l'espoir pourrait encore renaître
13. Leaving Dreamland de E. H. Mann : après une pandémie qui a tué la moitié de l'humanité et une apocalypse zombie qui a fait long feu quand les infectés ont été contraints de se dévorer entre eux, faute de proies, il ne reste que 10% de la population, réfugiée dans des communautés isolées, comme cette ville reconstruite sur les ruines du parc d'attraction Dreamland que vient de quitter la narratrice, atteinte de TDAH
14. Nothing but Flowers de Katharine Duckett : les habitants d'une communauté construite sur les ruines d'une résidence de luxe pour personnes handicapées sont menacés d'expulsion par l'héritier des anciens propriétaires des lieux
15. The 1st Interspecies Solidarity Fair and Parade de Bogi Takács : après deux invasions extra-terrestres hostiles, les survivants ont du mal à croire les nouveaux venus qui leur affirment que cette troisième vague est amicale, étant eux-mêmes des victimes des invasions précédentes, ce qui complique la tâche de la narratrice et de son acolyte extra-terrestre qui cherchent à recruter des personnes de bonne volonté pour reconstruire ensemble une civilisation pacifique et inclusive
J’ai dit en introduction qu’il s’agit d’une anthologie de nouvelles de science-fiction et que certaines peuvent s’approcher du solarpunk, et c’est effectivement le cas. Quand la technologie est présente dans les textes, elle reste discrète, en toile de fond, ce n’est jamais le sujet principal.
Hormis deux ou trois textes qui m’ont semblé un peu en-deçà des autres, j’ai pris beaucoup de plaisir à lire ce recueil, avec même quelques coups de coeur pour certaines nouvelles. Les auteurs proposent avant tout des récits profondément humains, centrés sur les personnages et les communautés auxquels ils et elles appartiennent.
Le choix d’avoir centré les nouvelles sur des personnes porteurs de handicap ou de maladies chroniques n’est pas qu’un parti pris militant, au sens noble du terme, cela sert aussi parfaitement les textes, qui nous parlent de communauté, de solidarité, et d’inclusivité. Il s’agit d’inventer un futur désirable avec et pour toutes et tous.
What if the apocalypse isn’t the end of the world? An anthology of apocalypse fiction featuring disabled and chronically ill protagonists, proving it's not always the "fittest" who survive, it's the most tenacious, stubborn, enduring and innovative characters who have the best chance of adapting when everything is lost. In this follow-up to Defying Doomsday, disabled and chronically ill protagonists build new worlds from the remains of the old...new perspectives on life after the apocalypse.
L’anthologie regroupe quinze nouvelles dont je vous propose un bref aperçu :
1. I Will Lead My People de Janet Edwards : vingt ans après l'invasion extra-terrestre qui a causé la mort de la quasi-totalité de l'humanité, une poche de survivants regroupés dans un ensemble de villages en Angleterre et menés par une femme handicapée, comme plusieurs de ses camarades, reçoit la visite d'un autre petit groupe de survivants, dirigés par un homme à la sinistre réputation
2. All the World in Seaform Green de Laurent Ring : installée dans sa maison en bord de plage, une peintre solitaire et autiste qui a perdu ses amis lors d'une épidémie de vérole il y a quelques années reçoit la visite d'une marine ayant elle-même perdu sa femme dans les mêmes circonstances
3. Merry Shitmas de Kristy Evangelista : six mois après une épidémie qui a décimé la population (décidément un thème récurent dans cette anthologie), une femme atteinte de la maladie de Crohn est préoccupée par la santé mentale des survivants après avoir découvert le corps d'un homme qui s'est pendu
4. Textbooks in the Attic de S. B. Divya : dans une ville de l'Iowa régulièrement inondée par des tempêtes et la montée des eaux, une mère et un père cherchent désespérément, chacun à leur façon, à se procurer des antibiotiques pour soigner leur fils qui s'est coupé profondément la main, avant que l'infection ne devienne fatale
5. If This Was the Talon de TJ Berry : après une invasion extraterrestre qui a tué ou mutilé la plupart des humains, un orphelin contribue à la reconstruction en fabriquant des jambes de fois et des rampes pour fauteuils roulants, tout en s'isolant pour se remémorer la mort de ses parents
6. Kids These Days de Tansy Rayner Roberts : il y vingt-cinq ans, des adolescents ont été abandonnés dans une colonie spatiale, littéralement et volontairement débranchée par les scientifiques qui en avaient la charge ; contre toute attente, ils ont survécu, ils ont grandi, ils ont reconstruit une ville et une société ; désormais, leurs enfants veulent prendre en main le destin de la colonie et souhaitent renouer le contact avec la civilisation qui avait volontairement abandonné leurs parents à l'époque
7. Omarino de Andi C. Buchanan : un couple de femmes, l'une autiste et l'autre sourde, entreprennent avec leur fils adoptif un voyage vers Wellington, avant de rentrer dans la communauté qu'elles ont formé pour les personnes cherchant une vie de silence, plusieurs années après une épidémie dévastatrice
8. Rhizome, by Starlight de Fran Wilde : alors que l'humanité a embarqué dans des vaisseaux spatiaux, une famille est restée pour veiller, génération après génération, sur les dernières graines végétales, en vue du jour où l'humanité reviendra sur sa planète natale
9. The Science of Pacific Apocalypse de Octavia Cade : un an après l'épidémie apocalyptique, une adolescente aveugle a fondé une revue pour publier les travaux des scientifiques survivants, sauvés par leur éloignement de la civilisation, dans des stations de recherche de l'Antarctique ou sur des îles isolées ; dix ans après, ils préparent un numéro rétrospectif
10. The Rest Is de Stephanie Gunn : des années après une pandémie qui a blablabla vous connaissez la chanson désormais, une jeune femme vit avec sa grand-mère et sa mère malade, toutes trois isolées du village le plus proche, mais la curiosité de l'une pourrait être plus forte que la peur d'une autre
11. A Floating World of Iron Spines de Ryan Press : après une grande inondation et une invasion extra-terrestre, une mécanicienne handicapée et son compagnon mi-alien mi-cyborg qui voyagent de communautés en communautés, découvrent un bébé mis à l'abri par ses parents avant qu'ils ne doivent prendre la fuite
12. Return of the Butterflies de Emilia Crowe : une mère prend soin de son fils de sept ans handicapé, dans un monde dévasté mais où l'espoir pourrait encore renaître
13. Leaving Dreamland de E. H. Mann : après une pandémie qui a tué la moitié de l'humanité et une apocalypse zombie qui a fait long feu quand les infectés ont été contraints de se dévorer entre eux, faute de proies, il ne reste que 10% de la population, réfugiée dans des communautés isolées, comme cette ville reconstruite sur les ruines du parc d'attraction Dreamland que vient de quitter la narratrice, atteinte de TDAH
14. Nothing but Flowers de Katharine Duckett : les habitants d'une communauté construite sur les ruines d'une résidence de luxe pour personnes handicapées sont menacés d'expulsion par l'héritier des anciens propriétaires des lieux
15. The 1st Interspecies Solidarity Fair and Parade de Bogi Takács : après deux invasions extra-terrestres hostiles, les survivants ont du mal à croire les nouveaux venus qui leur affirment que cette troisième vague est amicale, étant eux-mêmes des victimes des invasions précédentes, ce qui complique la tâche de la narratrice et de son acolyte extra-terrestre qui cherchent à recruter des personnes de bonne volonté pour reconstruire ensemble une civilisation pacifique et inclusive
J’ai dit en introduction qu’il s’agit d’une anthologie de nouvelles de science-fiction et que certaines peuvent s’approcher du solarpunk, et c’est effectivement le cas. Quand la technologie est présente dans les textes, elle reste discrète, en toile de fond, ce n’est jamais le sujet principal.
Hormis deux ou trois textes qui m’ont semblé un peu en-deçà des autres, j’ai pris beaucoup de plaisir à lire ce recueil, avec même quelques coups de coeur pour certaines nouvelles. Les auteurs proposent avant tout des récits profondément humains, centrés sur les personnages et les communautés auxquels ils et elles appartiennent.
Le choix d’avoir centré les nouvelles sur des personnes porteurs de handicap ou de maladies chroniques n’est pas qu’un parti pris militant, au sens noble du terme, cela sert aussi parfaitement les textes, qui nous parlent de communauté, de solidarité, et d’inclusivité. Il s’agit d’inventer un futur désirable avec et pour toutes et tous.
February 12, 2021
One of the things I really liked about this was that it really had multiple aims. I was mostly pleased to read stories about recovering and moving on from disaster. Too often, spec fic either is working to avoid the disaster or simply surviving after it. But this anthology was more… optimistic. Survival is not life, only a necessary prerequisite to it. And this book celebrated life.
I was also glad to see that it was inclusive: unlike many other stories elsewhere, this book's stories weren't centered only around heterosexual men. As somebody who is neither, I appreciated that, too.
There was other inclusion, too, around disability and chronic illness. I will admit that I was… unsure what to expect from this aspect. That's probably because I've seen far more token inclusion. I also know that many of these writers were writing about what they know, rather than simply including something that would make their work more marketable. This book languished on my mountainous to-read list for months, so by the time I started it, I had forgotten about this aim of the book, and it was most of the way through the book when I remarked to myself how many characters in the stories had conditions. I will reassure you, though… they are real people, with hopes and dreams, and their disabilities and illnesses are not the only features of those characters on display.
About my only complaint about this book? I wish it was longer; I wish there were more stories; I wish it didn't have to end! It also makes me very interested in reading Defying Doomsday, even though I am not a huge fan of apocalypse fiction. Because Rebuilding Tomorrow has such stellar authors that I expect that they have crafted good stories set in that type of environment.
I was also glad to see that it was inclusive: unlike many other stories elsewhere, this book's stories weren't centered only around heterosexual men. As somebody who is neither, I appreciated that, too.
There was other inclusion, too, around disability and chronic illness. I will admit that I was… unsure what to expect from this aspect. That's probably because I've seen far more token inclusion. I also know that many of these writers were writing about what they know, rather than simply including something that would make their work more marketable. This book languished on my mountainous to-read list for months, so by the time I started it, I had forgotten about this aim of the book, and it was most of the way through the book when I remarked to myself how many characters in the stories had conditions. I will reassure you, though… they are real people, with hopes and dreams, and their disabilities and illnesses are not the only features of those characters on display.
About my only complaint about this book? I wish it was longer; I wish there were more stories; I wish it didn't have to end! It also makes me very interested in reading Defying Doomsday, even though I am not a huge fan of apocalypse fiction. Because Rebuilding Tomorrow has such stellar authors that I expect that they have crafted good stories set in that type of environment.
Read
May 19, 2021After the past few years of protests against encroaching fascism and state sponsored police violence on top of an actual real life pandemic, I've lost any interest in reading dystopian fiction. I don't need to read about society crumbling and violence and mayhem rising in the aftermath. For all I know I may be living that right now. What I want to read is stories with hope.
That's why when I saw this anthology mentioned on Twitter I jumped on it. Each of the stories in this collection take place after a catastrophe but each of them is hopeful. They show people rising up out of the disaster and thriving. Specially this collection focuses on how disabled and chronically ill people might survive and rebuild their worlds.
I especially enjoyed descriptions of towns built specifically to incorporate ramps or quiet areas or whatever people think of to accommodate their needs. These stories show what could be done if people considered accessibility in design.
I Will Lead My People by Janet Edwards
I loved this story of a woman who survived a human mass extinction that happened after aliens came. She has been leading her colony of fellow survivors in England. Now a man who has set up a colony based on a strict patriarchial structure and no technology wants to move his group to her settlement. She knows that he is going to try to take over. What should she do? This is a great exploration of moral grey areas.
All the World in Seafoam Green by Lauren Ring
An autistic seashell painter meets a fellow survivor from another colony and paints her a portrait of the wife she lost.
Merry Shitmas by Kristy Evangelista
Survivors of a disaster in Australia decide that they are going to celebrate a traditional Christmas no matter how hard that might be. This story deals a lot with mental health after an apocalyptic event, including suicide.
Textbooks in the Attic by S. B. Divya
Rising waters caused by climate change have divided the world into rich enclaves on high ground and poorer periodically flooded areas. How will poorer people survive if the rich are hoarding resources like medicine?
If This Was the Talon by TJ Berry
A neurodivergent person is attempting to adapt to life after an alien invasion.
Kids These Days but Tansy Rayner Roberts
Aliens have wiped out most of Earth's population because they considered it a failed experiment but some people survived. Those survivors kept their heads down and tried very hard not to be noticed by the rest of the universe. They don't want the aliens to come back and finish the job. Now several generations later, people who didn't live through the killings want to reach out to the rest of the universe despite what their elders advise.
Omarino by Andi C. Buchanan
In New Zealand deaf and autistic people have built a settlement that values silence. But want happens when your girlfriend wants to move on?
Rhizome, By Starlight by Fran Wilde
Descendants of people left behind to tend a seed bank fight to keep kudzu and other intelligent plants from overrunning the greenhouse.
The Science of Pacific Apocalypse by Octavia Cade
The only survivors of the apocalypse in Oceania were scientists who were doing isolated research alone on ships or in the wilderness or in Antarctica. Now they communicate by radio. Each has continued doing some form of science and they are explaining their discoveries in new and unique forms to make it accessible to everyone.
The Rest Is by Stephanie Gunn
A girl is raised in a walled compound with her grandmother and mother because there are monsters outside. One day she looks over the wall and realizes that the things her grandmother has told her might not be true.
A Floating World of Iron Spines by Tyan Priss
A woman with chronic pain and back problems lives mostly alone in a world that has been flooded by aliens. She finds an injured alien and helps to rebuild him with mechanical parts. Then they find a baby who survived a raid and need to reunite him with his family even if that means going into a city.
Return of the Butterflies by Emilia Crowe
A woman is raising an autistic son without much support. She takes him to a field to get away from town and sees butterflies for the first time since the disaster.
Leaving Dreamland by E. H. Mann
A woman with ADHD did well during the zombie apocalypse. She could focus when it was clear what was a real emergency. But now the zombies are mostly gone and she's settled an in amusement park with other survivors. There is no excitement anymore and she's getting restless.
Nothing but Flowers by Katharine Duckett
For 15 years survivors have built a life in New York City. Now the wealthy people who owned the buildings they live in before the disaster have emerged from their bunkers in Connecticut and want their property back.
The 1st Interspecies Solidarity Fair and Parade by Bogi Takacs
There have been three waves of alien invasion and people are just over it. No one is interested in signing up to work with the last wave of aliens - who are actually friendly. A human and an alien who are supposed to be encouraging cooperation in the former Czech Republic find themselves throwing a festival based on old LGBT Pride parades.
This review was originally posted on Based On A True Story
January 7, 2022
The anthology is extremely well put together, in my opinion; the stories flow into each other very smoothly. That doesn’t mean that they are all the same, which couldn’t be farther away from the truth. In fact, they offer a broad range of diversity, often intersectional characters at their core. But the editor was very sensible in picking out elements that they share and thread them together into a delightful collection of thoughts about how rebuilding our society after an eventual collapse could look like - and that it can be far from savagery and scramble for scraps. Strength lies in community, in most of these stories, and that is something that I found wonderful.
October 14, 2021
Apparently, hopepunk postapocalyptic stories squarely and thoroughly hit a button I didn't even know I had! I found each and every single story so. incredibly. satifsying. There's just something so delicious about people adapting to circumstances, the survival, farming, things being orderly and intentionally designed... mmmmm.
Want to read
August 12, 2020I need this anthology like I need air to breathe.
I must know what happpens in the sequel to I Will Remember You
I must know what happpens in the sequel to I Will Remember You
October 6, 2021
This follow-up to Defying Doomsday has both continuations of stories in the first collection as well as completely new stories. Just like in the first, the premise of this collection is awesome - people with disabilities forming new lives and building a future together after an apocalypse. I think a lot of the stories in this were still a bit grim and angsty, though, when I was hoping for something a little bit more hopeful. Even so, there were a bunch of really great stories in this, including:
"All the World in Seafoam Green" by Lauren Ring, which is a quiet story about processing grief through art.
"Merry Shitmas" by Kristy Evangelista, which is hilarious and heartwarming about a disaster of a character trying to bring people together for the holidays.
"The Science of Pacific Apocalypse" by Octavia Cade, which is all about redefining what scientific publishing and communication looks like in a way that brings people into it rather than excludes.
This is a great collection to pick up if you're looking for some SFF focused on disabled characters, although I'd recommend reading the first collection beforehand since there are continuations in here.
Content Warnings:
death, death of a family member, illness, grief, suicide, animal death, trauma, anxiety, injury, body horror, imprisonment, toxic relationship, ableism, self-harm
"All the World in Seafoam Green" by Lauren Ring, which is a quiet story about processing grief through art.
"Merry Shitmas" by Kristy Evangelista, which is hilarious and heartwarming about a disaster of a character trying to bring people together for the holidays.
"The Science of Pacific Apocalypse" by Octavia Cade, which is all about redefining what scientific publishing and communication looks like in a way that brings people into it rather than excludes.
This is a great collection to pick up if you're looking for some SFF focused on disabled characters, although I'd recommend reading the first collection beforehand since there are continuations in here.
Content Warnings:
death, death of a family member, illness, grief, suicide, animal death, trauma, anxiety, injury, body horror, imprisonment, toxic relationship, ableism, self-harm
January 23, 2024
Short story collections are kind of a grab bag, but overall many of these made a good impression. It was like reading chapters out of other books - I wanted to delve deeper into the stories, make friends with the characters, hang on to them a little longer. I loved the various depictions of how worlds can be built to be accessible, or how characters hung on and ended up more resilient for all the struggle. Some favorites included "Merry Shitmas", "If This Was the Talon", "The Science of Pacific Apocalypse", and "Leaving Dreamland." I'll definitely go back as reference and inspiration for my own writing projects.
June 13, 2021
A follow up to Defying Doomsday, this anthology features stories in which disabled and chronically ill protagonists build new worlds from the remains of old ones. Some continue stories in the previous anthology and it was fun to catch up with those characters. These are interesting, fun, and creative. It's great - and thought-provoking - to see how accessibility, equality, and consideration of others can be built into structures and societies from the start, what changes, and what new problems arise.
June 14, 2024
Although I'm not a big fan of short stories I find this book not only appealing but also aspirational. As someone who is currently studying environmental science I wish to see a more optimistic world, which is what I like from fiction as well. I don't vibe with the whole sad ending, trauma rollercoaster. Illd rather see a happy ending where things get better, it matches my worldview and personality better.
January 11, 2023
This collection was delightful! I loved it so much! A really well selected anthology, can't wait to look up some of the new to me authors :D
Favourite story: The 1st Interspecies Solidarity Fair and Parade
Favourite story: The 1st Interspecies Solidarity Fair and Parade
September 30, 2023
I’m generally not a fan of short stories, as the good ones always leave me wanting more, but I have loved this and the previous collection. The showcase of everyone’s different strengths, which are different than most survival stories, is brilliant.
November 30, 2023
Another great anthology, most with connections to the Defying Doomsday anthology, but some not. It's good to see how the world moves on after an apocalyptic event - and, one hopes, these kinder and gentler futures will be the truth of it, rather than dystopias.
August 28, 2024
This is a book I needed to read <3
The design and layout are so nice - the font is easy to read, there's adequate margins, and the font is slightly larger than I'm accustomed to so it was easy to read
The design and layout are so nice - the font is easy to read, there's adequate margins, and the font is slightly larger than I'm accustomed to so it was easy to read
April 11, 2021
I really enjoyed this anthology of post-apocalypse short stories with disabled protagonists.
May 8, 2021
this is!! some of the best and most soul-healing post-apocalyptic fiction I have ever read!! my heart is so warm
August 30, 2021
Fantastic collection of stories challenging ableist views, with a cast of amazing characters in every story. Would recommend to everyone.
November 24, 2021
I read this with a friend over a number of months and the generally hopeful vibe of the stories was a balm in difficult times.
April 4, 2022
Every story in here was great. Utterly inclusive, hopeful, beautiful stories. It was also nice to get follow-up on some of the characters from Defying Doomsday. Made me feel warm inside.
June 18, 2022
This was such a lovely, positive treat, hugely enjoyable.
August 31, 2022
I love everything about this vibe, but I didn't read all the stories.
November 21, 2022
This anthology is all of the things I never knew I wanted. Post-post-apocalyptic stories dealing with how to rebuild? Rebuilding society in ways that not only help people but all people? Refusing to give in to the cynicism of the past in order to show that there is a way forward?
God, I love these stories. The best label I could find for this collection is hopepunk, because all of these stories centre the idea of hope: things can and will be better. It's not an easy road, but it is a necessary one.
A few favourites that stand out: I Will Lead My People, by Janet Edwards; All the World in Seafoam Green, by Lauren Ring; Merry Shitmas, by Kristy Evangelista; The Science of Pacific Apocalypse, by Octavia Cade; The Rest Is, by Stephanie Gunn; Leaving Dreamland, by E.H. Mann; and Nothing But Flowers, by Katharine Duckett
God, I love these stories. The best label I could find for this collection is hopepunk, because all of these stories centre the idea of hope: things can and will be better. It's not an easy road, but it is a necessary one.
A few favourites that stand out: I Will Lead My People, by Janet Edwards; All the World in Seafoam Green, by Lauren Ring; Merry Shitmas, by Kristy Evangelista; The Science of Pacific Apocalypse, by Octavia Cade; The Rest Is, by Stephanie Gunn; Leaving Dreamland, by E.H. Mann; and Nothing But Flowers, by Katharine Duckett
December 9, 2023
I liked this collection a tiny smidge less than the first one (4-4.5 stars). I think it's because some of the stories in the first collection were continued in this one, and I just did not jive with where they were heading.
I still liked how many of these tales are set in Australia. It's really neat to have a whole different continent be the default!
I liked that this set of stories is focusing more on growth again, healing, overcoming the trauma of the apocalypse and finding a new path forward in a ravaged world. I don't think I always liked the worlds or the characters presented, but overall it was fascinating. I also still loved that the protagonists are all people with various kinds of disabilities and their stories are great stories, not stories of giving up or dying.
I still liked how many of these tales are set in Australia. It's really neat to have a whole different continent be the default!
I liked that this set of stories is focusing more on growth again, healing, overcoming the trauma of the apocalypse and finding a new path forward in a ravaged world. I don't think I always liked the worlds or the characters presented, but overall it was fascinating. I also still loved that the protagonists are all people with various kinds of disabilities and their stories are great stories, not stories of giving up or dying.
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